The Whirlpool of Lebanon
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Pub Date Sep 15 2026 | Archive Date Aug 10 2026
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Description
There's something in the water in Lebanon, Kansas.
Zeb Stout is an eccentric rancher with a sick wife and a field of junkyard sculptures. As hope fades, a whirlpool appears in the pasture, offering a choice he never imagined.
Consequences ripple through Lebanon. Calves wander down Main Street. Rumors spread of impossible recoveries. Neighbors vanish. Soon the entire town is drawn to Stout Ranch, desperate to drink, to heal, to be young.
The Whirlpool of Lebanon is a surreal and darkly comic novel about love, longing, and the terrible beauty of second chances. This is what happens when a miracle arrives—and refuses to leave.
For readers of Patrick DeWitt and fans of Coen brothers films. A strange and funny send-up of the western, told through a polyphonic literary lens.
A Note From the Publisher
Will also hosts Who Reads Books Anymore?, a popular social media video series in which he asks strangers about their reading lives (@willpassbooks).
Raised in Kansas, he now lives in Colorado with his family.
Advance Praise
“A weird, funny, and often suspenseful novel about aging and redemption.”
—Foreword Reviews
“A well-crafted comedy about the bad side of miracles."
—Kirkus Reviews (“Get It” selection)
“An exquisitely constructed novel with a large cast of believable, well-rounded characters you come to care about. Pass also captures the nuances of High Plains village life, which many have attempted but few have achieved.”
—Bryan L. Jones, author of North of the Platte, South of the Niobrara
“Whirlpool is an intercession between the sublime and the sublunary, with characters as real as they are hilarious, as redeemable as they are tragic. Swift and stylish, this book is a bit like a glistening puddle you stomp on for joy then realize you’re standing in the center of the sea.”
—Joe Deany-Braun, curator of Perelandra Bookshop and author of Young Santa
“The story sucked me in with the same awe and mystery as the whirlpool spinning at its center. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to go back in time—for better or worse—then this book is for you. I loved every page.”
—Becky Mandelbaum, author of Bad Kansas (Flannery O’Connor Award)
Marketing Plan
@willpassbooks
@willpassbooks
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9798989180547 |
| PRICE | $19.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 276 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
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Buy on Amazon Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.orgAverage rating from 8 members
Featured Reviews
Crystal L, Reviewer
"There's something in the water in Lebanon, Kansas."
The Whirlpool of Lebanon is strange, darkly funny, and surprisingly emotional, this book takes the idea of a miracle and turns it into something both beautiful and unsettling. What starts with a mysterious whirlpool promising healing and youth slowly spirals into obsession, desperation, and chaos as an entire small town becomes consumed by it.
One of my favourite things about this book was the people in the small town in Kansas. Every character brought something unique to the story, and even with the larger-than-life premise, their emotions and choices felt incredibly real. The writing balances absurdity and heartbreak so well.
Beneath the surreal atmosphere, this is really a story about grief, hope, love, and how far people will go for a second chance. Equal parts unsettling and captivating.
Thank you so much Thiessen Press, Will Pass, and NetGalley for the #gifted earc.
All opinions are my own 🖤
Madelyn O, Reviewer
damn! I loved this book so frickin much from page one. such an interesting concept and incredible writing. I love a book with characters that feel so real and lovable. I loved Zeb and Nancy and all the other weirdos in the town of Lebanon. I couldn't put it down - 4.5 stars rounded up!
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